“Keep the focus of Christmas on Christ, and help those on your Christmas list to do the same by giving Catholic gifts”
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” . . . When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”
– Matthew 2:1-2, 10-11
The tradition of gift-giving at Christmastime has become a fixture in the celebration of Christmas, both by the Faithful and secular. In different countries and cultures, gift-giving occurs at different times within the Advent and Christmas seasons. Though the earliest Christians did not celebrate Christmas in the same way as the modern world, winter gift-giving practices were already in place by the time of Christ’s birth. As with some other holiday traditions, as pagans converted to Christianity in great numbers, activities once associated with pagan celebrations were adapted to the Christian celebration of Christmas. It is acceptable to carry on the tradition and reasonable to give gifts at Christmas, both as an act of mimicking the wise men’s giving of gifts and as a reminder of the ultimate Christmas gift, the birth of Christ himself.
By the Middle Ages, gift-giving at Christmastime had become prevalent among the faithful; however the manners and methods of gift-giving tradition most Americans are familiar with were popularized in the Victorian era. Still, Christmas gift-giving traditions do vary from place to place. Some exchange and open Christmas gifts on Epiphany, as the wise men did not come on Christmas day. Other families may open one gift a day from Christmas morning up through Epiphany. In many places, St. Nicholas’s feast day, December 6th, is the day for gift-giving.
- Adapted from The Catholic Christmas Book of Cherished Christmas Customs and Wikipedia.
When doing your Christmas shopping this year, don’t forget that Aquinas and More always offers free shipping on orders over $55!
 $75.00
Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich
Browse our collection of Life of Christ books.
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 $109.95
Donald Attwater, Fr. Alban Butler
See our saints books here.
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 $129.95
Fr. Francis Fernandez-Carvajal
Find the perfect prayer book for anyone you know.
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$99.99
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Look at all of our audio books here.
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$99.00
See all our Bibles here. |
Our coffee gifts sets make perfect gifts for any coffee lover!
We have four different coffee sets available, all of which can be seen at our Coffee Gift Sets page.
Don’t forget about our gift wrapping options. Make your selection during checkout, including any gift messages you might wish to include.
Our CD recommendation this week is from an Aquinas and More favorite, the group L’Angelus:
“At Christmas, we will contemplate the great mystery of God made man in the Virgin Mary’s womb. He was born in Bethlehem to share our frail human condition! He comes to dwell among us and brings salvation to the whole world. His mission will be to gather individuals and peoples into the one family of God’s children. We can say that in the Mystery of Christmas we are granted to contemplate a “qualitative leap” in the history of salvation. Man who through sin distanced himself from the Creator is now offered the gift of new and full communion with him.
Thus, hope is rekindled in his heart, while the gates of paradise are re-opened to humanity.
Dear brothers and sisters, the celebration of Christmas, now at hand, is a favourable opportunity for everyone to live more deeply the value and significance of the great event of Jesus’ birth.”
- Pope John Paul II, General Audience on “The Mystery of Christmas,” December 22, 2004
Not sure what to get someone for Christmas? Give a gift certificate to Aquinas and More!
They come in several amounts, up to $100. Order your gift certificates here.
Right now, take advantage of a special deal going on, available by using Google Checkout – get $5 off on orders of $30 or more, between now and December 17. Limit one per person.
 $113.25
See more semi-precious stone bead rosaries here.
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 $60.00
Browse our whole Vatican Library Collection here.
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 $72.75
Find more military medals – including medals for all branches of the military – here, and click here to see our whole jewelry collection.
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 $90.00
See all our crosses and crucifixes here.
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Right now, take advantage of a special deal going on, available by using Google Checkout – get $5 off on orders of $30 or more, between now and December 17. Limit one per person.
Let Us Pray
A Christmas Prayer to Obtain Favors
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother.
Amen.
(It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew, on November 30th, until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)
If you would like to receive our monthly Magnificat reminder, please click here to visit the page with all our reminder options – blog update notifications, calendar and Christmas card reminders, church supply reminders, and more.
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In that hour vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother.
Amen.
(It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew, on November 30th, until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)
[Imprimatur: +MICHAEL AUGUSTINE, Archbishop of New York, New York, February 6, 1897.]
This prayer is available on a Christmas holy card by clicking here.
Shop online at www.catholicchurchsupply.com for all your parish’s church supply needs, including vestments, altar linens, censers and boats, incense, candles, chalices, sanctuary lamps,
altar breads, lavabo sets, altar bells, and plenty more!
altar breads, lavabo sets, altar bells, and plenty more!
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If you would like to receive our monthly Magnificat reminder, please click here to visit the page with all our reminder options – blog update notifications, calendar and Christmas card reminders, church supply reminders, and more.
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